I'm Home
by Brilliant Brunette Beauty
Summary: Two years after faking his own death, Damian Wayne decides it's finally time to come out of hiding. Series of one-shots featuring Damian reuniting with various members of the Bat-Fam. Rated 'T' because I'm paranoid.
1. Alfred and Dick

**A/N: Okay, let's make one thing clear: I never recovered from Damian Wayne's death. Like, ever. It just felt… useless to me. No matter how badass Damian was, he was only a TEN YEAR OLD KID. What was the point? To make Bruce even more miserable? Well, then they've accomplished their goal, because I doubt many things will be able to get to him now that his biological son is dead. Man, it's been a whole year. Hard to believe, right? Well, in the spirit of Damian's death anniversary (*eye twitch*), I wrote this little piece up in order to further propel my denial of his absence. I hope all you fans who are deep into denial with me enjoy!**

**And if I get some details wrong… I apologize. I comic-jump. I haven't read all of the comics featuring Damian (though that is my goal), but I did read his last appearance and I did do my research. So I should be good. :)**

* * *

The raven-haired, newly twelve year old boy walks up to the magnificent house he once lived in, sighing heavily. He missed this old place, maybe more than he'd be willing to admit. More likely, he missed the people who reside inside its walls. Though he puts up the persona of a dark loner who would rather be on his own that have to share a home, he really did miss his family. Yes, his family. He's finally recognized that fact. These people are his family.

And Damian can't wait to see them again.

His 'death' was a ruse cleverly devised by him in order to go into hiding. He knew his mother would not stop until he was dead and his clone was the last standing brother of the al Ghul family. The dead body was one of the many other clones his mother had made of him when he was still with her. It was one of the ones used in case he was to suffer severe injuries to his internal organs and needed a replacement.

He _was _in fact stabbed, but not fatally. It was something he anticipated. So it was easy for him to leave the already dead clone in Robin garb there on the ground before fleeing off into the night. It was cruel, he knows, to let his family believe he really did die in that battle. Especially Father. Right when they were becoming close, he had to leave without so much as a goodbye besides that note he typed up beforehand. It was Jason Todd all over again, something he knows Father dreaded and went out of his way to make sure never happened.

And what of Grayson? The older man had become his mentor, his beloved older brother. He was one of the few people Damian trusted completely. He was the complete opposite of Damian in every way; energetic, loving, funny, lighthearted. He loved his little brother. Damian's 'death' must have devastated him. Especially considering he was knocked out beforehand. Knowing Grayson, he probably pinned the death on himself.

Dumbass…

Now, his mission is finally accomplished. The Heretic has been eliminated and his mother… Well, let's just say that she won't be bothering him for a while. He made sure. No, he didn't kill her. He does not kill anymore. Not since his time with Father. And now he can finally return home without endangering his life and the life of his family. These thoughts swirl around in his head as he finally works up the nerve to knock on the massive oak doors. Nervousness builds in him. He scoffs at the butterflies in his stomach. He was raised to be a cold blooded killer, fought alongside the Batman, survived a sword that supposedly 'killed' him, and defeated an aged, carbon copy of himself. And he's scared of this? He must be losing the al Ghul-Wayne touch.

He waits impatiently at the doorstep until the door begins to open. He already knows who will be behind the doors: Alfred. Sure enough, when the doors finally open, there stands the family butler exactly the way Damian remembers him. Well, besides some more wrinkles on his face Damian is sure he caused. A little more guilt piles on him with that thought.

Damian gives Alfred an impish grin just like he used to as a devious ten year old, running around the manor and making the butler's job pure hell. The old man takes a few moments to realize fully that he's seeing the dead Damian Wayne staring back at him. When it settles in, he looks completely bewildered at the presence of the thought to be dead boy. He pales as if he's just seen a ghost. Damian just grins wider and raises an eyebrow in amusement.

"Well, Pennyworth, if you're done staring at me like an idiot, would it be too much to let me go inside?"

Alfred stutters for a few more moments, still completely dumbfounded. Damian can sense his thoughts. He's supposed to be _dead_. Yet here he is, on the front steps of the manor, looking the exact same, except maybe a little taller. Damian makes a mental note to explain this all later. But for now, he's going to leave that subject alone. He just got back, and he's not going to explain anything. Not right now.

It occurs to him that maybe Alfred thinks this is all a ploy devised by his mother, that this isn't really Damian. After all, how could it be? Alfred thought he saw Damian's body. He searches for the right words to show that it's really him, not another clone.

"So, Pennyworth…." Damian begins, struggling for words. "Did you take care of Titus and the other animals while I was away?"

These words seem to make Alfred snap to attention. Everyone knows how much Damian loves his animals. He had a whole zoo of them, including the dog – Titus –, cats, a 'Bat-Cow', and more. Now there's no doubt about it. This is the actual Damian. It has to be. Talia can be a convincing woman, but she never bothered to really look into her son. She would never know about his intense love of his animals. The idea that this was a ploy of hers was thrown out the minute he said that.

"Master Damian…" Alfred stumbles, unsure on how to proceed. Damian just gives his usual cocky grin and sidesteps Alfred, entering his former home. No, scratch that. It never ceased to be his home. He just took a very long vacation. Yeah, we'll just call it that. A vacation.

The manor looks exactly as it did the last time Damian saw it two years before. It's like it was suspended in time, like he never left to begin with. He briefly wonders if Father did anything to his room. His plain room, with one single bed against the wall, a nightstand next to it containing a journal of drawings. Did Father throw out Damian's possessions? Or did he leave everything exactly the same as a way to remember him by? Damian scowls just thinking about his things being thrown in the garbage. If his journal and katana are missing, he's going to have to have a word with someone.

"Hey Alfie, who was at the door?" a groggy voice from the stairs calls. Damian turns on his heels away from a still dumbfounded Alfred, looking up towards the grand staircase. He recognizes that voice. That voice could never be erased from his memory, even after not hearing it for these long two years. He gives a rare smile as he watches Richard Grayson descend the stairs in a white tee shirt and lounge pants, looking like he just rolled out of bed at three in the afternoon.

Dick finally reaches the last stair, his eyes downcast to adjust to the light and scratching at his bedhead. Damian smirks as he looks him over. He should have expected this in retrospect. Of course he's sleeping until an obscenely late hour. He probably stayed up until 5 in the morning patrolling Bludhaven and stubbornly refusing Batman's assistance.

Dumbass.

"Nice to see you join the land of the living, Grayson," Damian remarks, making light of his own situation. Suddenly, all movement in Dick stops. His hand freezes in his hair. His body stiffens. His head stays downcast. Slowly, he raises it up, like he's scared of what he's about to see. His striking blue eyes meet Damian's gray-blue, and Damian can see them widen. He pales, like he's just seen a ghost. Damian gets the urge to roll his eyes. What is it with people equating with him a ghost today? But that urge is smothered by the unexpected urge to run to Dick and wrap him up in a giant bear hug like the ones that Damian used to be an unwilling participant in.

Dick slowly approaches Damian like he's a wild animal. It's almost like he's scared Damian will disappear, and this will all turn out to be a cruel dream of his. Slowly, Dick places a hand on Damian's shoulder, squeezing it tightly. His eyes widen even more. Damian raises his eyebrows. What did Grayson expect? For his hand to go through his shoulder? This ghost thing is getting old fast.

"Are you dense, Grayson? I'm not a damned ghost. They don't exist. Now will you just say something already?"

That's all it takes for Dick to wrap his little brother up in a tight hug.

Dick picks Damian up of the ground like he weighs nothing more than a baby and crushes him to his chest, resting his cheek on top of Damian's head. Damian feels himself losing air from his older brother's tight grip, but he can't bring himself to care. He's missed this more than he's willing to admit. Grayson's hugs were frequent, and often Damian would wiggle and squirm while threatening him in a variety of colorful ways that almost always involved chopping of Grayson's, um, _nearest extremity_. But he's not that boy anymore. He wraps his arms around Dick's middle as far as they will go, as his former mentor swings him around happily like a young child with a doll.

"Dami! Oh my god, I can't believe it! You're _here! _You're _alive! _It isn't a dream this time!"

Damian decides not to question the 'this time' part and just hugs back fiercely. He knows that if Dick were thinking logically, he would probably demand some sort of DNA test to make sure this wasn't some sort of trick, but Damian decides not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Dick's embrace feels warm and reassuring, just like he remembered. Ah, he's missed this.

"I suppose I have a lot of explaining to do, don't I?" Damian says, his voice muffled by Dick's shirt.

"I don't care how you got back here," Dick insists. "I just care that I have my Dami back."

Damian groans in fake annoyance at the embarrassing nickname.

"Grayson, I _told _you not to address me by such a childish moniker."

Dick pulls back and looks at Damian, shaking his head with a giant smile splitting his face.

"Two years later and you're the same smartass as before, huh?"

Damian gets the same arrogant grin on his face and nods proudly. No matter what happens, no matter how old he gets, he's still the same witty smartass as he's always been.

A sudden thought occurs to him, and he forces himself to break away from Dick's comforting hug.

"Grayson, where are Father and Drake?"

* * *

**A/N: So I'm sorry if you don't like the way Damian came back.**

**Wait, no, I take that back. I'm not. I utilized the best method I had without use of the Lazarus Pit. I wanted Damian's death to be faked, not real but reversed. Damian wouldn't want to be brought back that way.**

**Stay tuned for more fluff!**


	2. Tim

**A/N: Sorry for the delay! Things have been crazy lately. But now that spring break is coming, I'll be able to find more time to write. So expect the next chapter sooner than this one came! Thank you to the lovely reviewers and the wonderful people who favorite and follow. It means the world to me!**

**Something to note: I occasionally referred to Tim by his first name rather than 'Drake'. It was only a few times, but they were times when I felt that to be the most appropriate. I didn't mean to confuse anyone, so it's just a warning. But he's almost always referred to as 'Drake' in this chapter. :)**

* * *

Being led down to the Bat Cave by Grayson made Damian realize just how much he's missed his old life. He tried not to think of the Cave while 'indisposed'. He stubbornly told himself that he had a mission to accomplish. Harping on what he missed was just going to hold him back from one day being able to see it again. However, there were points when he'd by lying under the stars at night, letting his mind wander to his family. Had Grayson settled down yet? Did Father find a new Robin already? Did Drake ever find himself missing Damian?

He sincerely doubted the last thought.

He knows he was terrible to Drake. Competition for Father's approval did not sit well with him, so the only solution in his mind was to eliminate his competitor, just like the League of Assassins taught him was right. But these years away from home have given him a different outlook on the situation. He knows he and Drake will never, ever be the closest of siblings. But he's taken one major step; he actually _refers _to him as a sibling now. Because whether he likes it or not, Drake is his sibling just as Grayson is. And some small part of Damian, somewhere deep down inside him, missed Drake and their spats.

He's just still not quite mature enough to admit it out loud.

A figure typing away on the Bat Cave's computer makes Damian do a double take. Not many people are allowed anywhere _near _the computer in the Bat Cave. It's obviously not Father. This could only be one person.

Drake.

Nervousness consumes Damian at the thought of seeing his older brother. The two were always on bad terms. How would Drake react to seeing him alive? His thoughts of nervousness rattle him. He's Damian al Ghul Wayne. He does not get nervous over something this minor. He's being a sissy and he knows it. But he can't stop his stomach from turning over in nervousness. Knowing the terms on which the two parted, a small part of him feels as though he has to start a fight, just to keep their uneasy relationship going. He's terrified of what Drake will say or do when he sees him. He's scared that Drake would prefer for him to really be gone. Rejection has always been his worst fear. He just never thought he'd fear it from Drake of all people.

Grayson, however, doesn't seem to have this concern. He's still all smiles after his reunion with his youngest brother. Damian shakes his head. Does Grayson _ever _wipe that smile off his face?

"Hey, Timmy!" he calls. "You busy?"

Drake sighs and closes out of whatever it was he had up on the computer, slowly bringing his chair out.

"No, not anymore," he replies tiredly. Damian can already guess that he's been sitting at the computer for far too long. Yet, he's still there, meaning no one dragged him away. Damian rolls his eyes. Honestly, he surprised that these people were able to function as human beings while he was gone.

"Is there something you wanted?" Drake asks.

Grayson looks up Damian behind him and smiles cheekily, knowing Tim is in for the surprise of his life. Damian is just concerned that it won't be a good surprise.

He holds his breath as Drake gets out of the chair, still facing the computer. He runs a hand through his dark hair, his shoulders hunched in exhaustion. Yep, he's been working longer than any human should be allowed. But stubbornness is apparently a requirement in the Bat Family.

Drake begins to turn to face Grayson, and Damian holds his breath anxiously. There's no denying that he's absolutely terrified. He wishes desperately that he could face the Heretic again as opposed to this. What he lacks in social skills he makes up for in fighting skills.

Tim's tired eyes land on Dick, and he gives a weak smile. His vision must have picked up on another figure in the room, because soon enough, his eyes have skirted past Dick and straight to Damian. For a split second, there is no reaction from him. Both just stand there, having some sort of staring contest, neither of their brains fully registering what is happening. Finally, the situation gets through to Tim, and he drains of color. Unlike Dick, he doesn't make a move to approach Damian. He just stands and stares, looking utterly terrified and confused all at once.

A hard stone forms in Damian's stomach. He knows he needs to make the first move in mending this relationship and getting rid of the bad blood between the two. It goes against every fiber in his being to be kind to Drake, but he begrudgingly acknowledges that things need to change. _He _needs to change. Slowly but surely, he takes steps towards Drake. Each step causes Drake to walk back a half-step, like he's scared this Damian is a zombie come back from the dead to reap revenge.

Soon enough, the two are right near each other. Nose to nose. Drake is still staring straight at Damian with an uneasy expression on his face. Frankly, Damian is shocked Grayson has yet to say something. Maybe he doesn't want to interrupt the 'moment'. Sounds like him, the sentimental fool he is. Damian internally groans.

He's certainly about to get the show of a lifetime, then.

He feels as though his skin will burn off just at the thought of it, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Swallowing what little pride he still has, Damian leans forward, opening his arms, and wrapping them around Drake's torso. He's hugging him. He is actually _hugging _Drake. It doesn't actually feel all that bad. Sure, he's no Grayson, but it's not like his skin is melting off from being in such close contact like he predicted. It would be less awkward if Drake would just loosen up a bit.

Instead of, you know, slamming him up against a wall.

Damian's body hits the wall hard enough to knock the wind out of him. He looks at Drake, who looks utterly pissed off. Damian swallows hard. This is what he was afraid of. Of Drake resenting the fact that he came back. He knows he can't expect his forgiveness, but it still stings that he didn't even get a begrudging 'welcome home, Satan spawn'.

"Tim, what the hell –," Grayson begins, but Drake cuts him off with a sharp glare and another push at Damian, bringing him further against the wall.

"This can't be Damian," Drake growls. "Damian is dead. I saw his body myself. We _all _did. I refuse to believe this… this _thing _is our Damian. It's just another clone sent by Talia."

Damian wants to sigh in relief for the sheer fact that Drake is only suspicious about his authenticity and not angry that his demon spawn little brother came back. But if it's any evidence by the way Drake is holding him against the wall so tightly that he can barely breathe, then he has to find a way to prove he's the actual Damian. But for now, he's just concerned with getting some air in his lungs.

"Let go of me, Drake!" he exclaims, all hints of politeness leaving his tone. Drake shakes his head. Damian can see the determination in his eyes. He fears there is no way to make Drake believe that it's really him.

Luckily, Grayson intervenes, dragging Tim off of Damian. He's always been the voice of reason when they were having their explosive fights. Nothing has changed.

"Tim, just calm down for a second," Grayson insists. "We'll run all the tests that you want if you need more proof. Just don't write this off so quickly. You know about the Lazarus Pit."

"Actually, I was not brought back to life," Damian explains. Now both Drake and Grayson turn to look at him oddly. He knows it sounds weird. It _is _weird.

"What?" Grayson asks blankly. Damian sighs and looks for a quick explanation for his complicated tale.

"Long story short, I used one of my many clones that Mother kept as a body double with Mother's help."

"Wait just a minute," Drake hisses, still heavily suspicious of 'Damian'. "Your mother tried to _kill _you. Why would she help you escape?"

"I got into her good graces with lies," Damian says simply. "I would tell you the rest of the story, but it's a long one, and I suppose you two want to do some sort of tests on me, don't you?"

Drake looks at Grayson, seeming heavily conflicted, like he doesn't want to know. After a few brief glances at Damian, he finally nods.

"Let's get this over with."

* * *

It takes a few hours of various tests to prove Damian's authenticity. Throughout the entire process, he can feel Tim's accusing gaze boring into his skill. It's unsettling, like Drake just wants to jump out of his chair and tackle him to the ground. Grayson seems to be the mediator, staying between the two to make sure there is no conflict, just like he did when Damian was ten years old. Old habits die hard.

After all the tests are done, DNA being used from both Damian's hair and Bruce's bat-suit then manipulated in every different way both Dick and Tim can think of, Dick lets out a long sigh. He turns to Tim, who still has his arms crossed over his chest suspiciously.

"I can't find _any _evidence that this could be a clone," Grayson admits. "This is the real Damian, whether or not you're ready to believe it."

Drake shakes his head vehemently, glaring over at Damian as he sits across from him.

"No way," he growls. "I can't believe that. I refuse to buy into this. Can you not see that this is exactly what Talia wants? She wants to get us attached again so she can rip him away and destroy us even further."

Damian is shocked that Drake just implied his 'death' destroyed him. When he thought about who would be affected, he never thought about Drake. He always assumed Drake would be just fine. Happier, in fact. He had no idea he would be… _destroyed_.

"What do I have to do to prove it to you?" Damian demands. Drake shakes his head again, glaring at what he assumes to be Damian's clone.

"You can't prove_ anything _to me. You're nothing but a poor substitute for the original Damian."

Something about that comment lights a spark inside Damian. He feels that familiar tornado of emotions bubbling up in him. It was the feeling he always got before picking a fight with Drake. An odd mixture of anger, pride, and a weird excitement that he can't exactly explain. He never realized how much he missed this feeling. Screw stepping on eggshells trying to repair this relationship. They could only ever communicate by fighting, anyways.

"Get off your damn high horse, Drake," Damian hisses. "Call me a 'poor substitute' one more time and I'll break your face."

It's the very first thing he ever said to Drake. Drake offered his hand, and Damian offered to break his face. The old comment seems to make something stir within Drake. He looks taken aback. It obvious that he remembers. How could he ever forget? It was the beginning of a rivalry. His glare softens, and he looks at Damian differently. His gaze is no longer suspicious or accusing. It's… longing. Like he too missed the arguments they always had. The two look at each other carefully, waiting. When Drake's gaze softens completely, Damian finally feels at ease.

"Damian?" Drake asks quietly. "It's… It's really you?" He sounds scared. Does he think this is all a dream like Grayson did?

"Nice to know you can see," Damian deadpans. All of the sudden, a grin breaks out on Drake's face. He launches himself straight at Damian full force, knocking the boy off his chair with an _'Umph.'_

The two fall to the ground together, Drake on top of Damian.

"Damian, it's really you, you came back…" Drake mumbles, hugging Damian fiercely. At first, Damian is so shocked he can't move at all. He can only remain completely rigid while Drake has him in a bone-crushing hug. Sure, he hugged Drake no more than a few hours ago, but he never expected that Drake would be taking initiative to hug _him. _Something about it causes him to warm up to this idea of hugging his adoptive brother. Reaching out, he hugs Drake back. For a second, he can forget all about what he's been through to get here and all that the two of them still have to go through to forge a better relationship. He just listens to Drake mumbling things like 'I can't believe it' and 'Thank god'. All Damian cares about is the fact that he's being welcomed home by the one person he thought would never want to see him again.

"Wait until Bruce gets home…" Drake mumbles into Damian's hair, still wrapped up in the fierce hug.

Damian stills.

Well, looks like that anxiety is back.

* * *

**A/N: There you have it! The reunion with Tim. I always pictured him to be the most suspicious on whether or not it's actually Damian based on the fact that he's the logical one. I also always secretly thought that the two really cared for each other on a deep level (i.e. they hate being in the same room with each other, but they'd take a bullet for each other anyways). Feel free to tell me what you think. :)**

**Also, I have the entire plot on how he survived planned out in my head. If you want me to include it in here, I will. Otherwise, I could just tell you the long story short in my author's note sometime.**


	3. Bruce

**A/N: The moment of truth! Yes, this is the moment when Damian is reunited with the Batman himself, Bruce Wayne. Out of all the reunions, I think this was the most fun to write. I really got to explore the character depth of both Damian and Bruce and see how Damian's death changed them both.**

**... Wow. That sounded really pretentious.**

**But on with the story!**

* * *

Damian pets Titus, scratching him behind his ears and murmuring to him happily. Out of all the reunions he has had today, he's tempted to say that this one is the best. When he got back up from the Bat Cave with Drake and Grayson, the dog came scrambling downstairs, thinking a guest had come. When he saw his old master in the living room, he pounced on him, knocking him down to the ground. Damian responded enthusiastically and hugged his Great Dane around the neck, petting him affectionately. He will admit that he missed his human family, but the softest part of his heart is reserved for his animals. Titus in particular is one of his favorites. He was the first animal Damian was given, and he holds a special place in his heart.

Drake and Grayson just sit on the couch, watching him and smiling. Alfred stands near the couch, looking equally as happy. After his reunion with Drake, all four of them caught up with each other. Emotions still running high, Damian confessed how much he's missed them all and how he was able to return home. He swears he even saw Grayson crying a bit. Now that everything is sorted out, they're all just waiting for Bruce's return home. They decided not to tell him over phone. It's something he should see himself.

Damian can't help but feel a little nervous at the thought of seeing Father again after all this time. He loves his father – that he's positive of – but they never had the closest relationship in the world. They were so alike that they didn't know how to handle each other. They never really talked. Damian can't help but feel regret at everything that never was. He can't even remember telling his own father that he loves him. Before, he would have balked at the idea, but being 'dead' made him realize just how precious time is. He could be gone tomorrow for all he knows. He doesn't want to leave this world with any regrets.

"God, I still can't believe it's really you," Grayson laments. Damian rolls his eyes, keeping up his reputation as a sarcastic little brat, but he's secretly trying to hold back a smile.

"Well believe it, Grayson, because you're going to have to take me out back and shoot me if you want to get rid of me this time. Even then, I doubt I'd stay gone long."

Drake laughs, while Grayson just shakes his head.

"I just wish I had stayed conscious long enough. Maybe then I would have…" Grayson trails off, dropping the subject. Damian narrows his eyes angrily. Grayson still blames himself for the outcome of the fight with the Heretic. He blames himself for getting knocked out and not being there when Damian battled the Heretic. But Damian won't have that. He'll just have to smack some sense into his dumbass of an older brother.

Damian stands up, giving Titus one last pat on the head as he does, and stands in front of Grayson with his shoulders squared and jaw set. Grayson watches curiously as Damian slowly raises his hand…

And smacks him in the face with it.

Grayson's head jerks over to the side, and he mutters a small 'ow'. Both Drake and Alfred look shocked, but decide to not intervene. Damian always has his reasons.

"Lil D!" Grayson whines. "What was that for?"

Damian has always loathed the nickname given to him by his former partner, but he puts up with it nonetheless. He just won't put up with the self-blame.

"Don't talk like that," Damian hisses. "If you had not been unconscious that night, you would have been killed yourself. Even if you had somehow managed to survive and remain conscious throughout the entire ordeal, you wouldn't have been able to stop _anything_. In fact, you would have only served to ruin my well thought out plan. So shut up and stop blaming yourself for something you couldn't control. I don't want you to feel guilt over what happened that night. I don't blame you at all, nor have I ever. You're my brother and I love you."

The last part just kind of slipped out in the heat of the moment. Damian sits down on the floor next to Titus again and plays with him as if nothing even happened. The entire room goes dead silent for a few moments as Damian's words sink in for everyone. Eventually, Drake's clear, amused laugh rings out.

"Well, it looks like you've grown a heart while you were gone," he says sarcastically. Damian growls quietly and continues to pet his beloved dog, reminding himself that he is _not _to kill Drake.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, foolish Drake," he insists. "I have not changed in the least."

Even Alfred laughs at this. It's obvious to see that Damian has changed immensely, for the better too. He will never be a gentle hearted person, but he has made progress no one ever thought he would ever make it this far. They all know he will deny that he ever said he loved anyone, but just the fact that he said it at all is a giant step forward from the boy who never showed affection for anyone except on rare occasions.

The sound of the front door opening jars them all out of their previous conversation. This is it. Bruce is home. Damian watches as small smiles appear on the faces of Grayson, Drake, and Alfred. He gets a feeling then that he underestimated just how much Father missed him.

The sound of his father's heavy footsteps near the living room, and he can practically hear his heart racing faster and faster the closer he gets. He doesn't know why he's so nervous. It's just Father, after all.

Scratch that; that IS why he's nervous. It's Father he's about to see. The two had an uneasy relationship at the best. If Father gives him a pat on the shoulder and says a weak 'welcome home', Damian may just scream. He spent the entirety of the short amount of time he had with his father trying to get his attention. He used terrible methods, often resulting in negative attention, but either way, he just wanted his father to notice him. He's worried his leaving will result in a giant step backwards in their relationship.

Bruce walks into the room, looking exhausted from the long day. Damian can see that he looks older; more tired. And it's not just the tiredness from the day. It's the long term, world weary tiredness. He's lost so much, and Damian just added to his loses. More guilt piles on him. He still stands by the fact that he made the smartest decision in leaving, but there's a small pang of guilt when he sees how he's affected everybody.

Bruce's eyes scan over them all, shifting over Damian like he sees him every day. Damian suppresses a smirk. It seems no one can really register seeing him today. Everyone has to do a double take.

A look flitters across Father's face, like he realized just now realized he forgot something. Slowly, his eyes scan back over to Damian and stay there. He stares at him blankly. Damian can feel his insides turning over in nervousness. He has no clue how Father will react to him. Worse, he doesn't know how to act in return. No one ever taught him how to handle something like this. Battling dangerous criminals, he can do. But this? Not so much.

Father's face drains of all color, similar to Grayson's and Drake's when they first saw him. He backs away half a step as Damian stands up. The rejection stings a bit, but Damian is hoping it's just from the shock of seeing him again. He _has _to be happy about seeing him again. At least, that's what Damian keeps telling himself.

"_Richard_," Father hisses lowly, sounding terrified. Grayson reluctantly rises from the couch and goes over to stand by his adoptive father.

"Yes, Bruce?" he asks. Bruce points shakily to the place where Damian stands, like he's scared to even go near him. Okay, that stings. A lot. More than he's willing to admit.

"Tell me there's nothing there," he demands, sounding anything but his usual self. "Tell me I'm just seeing him again. Calm me down."

_Again?_

Grayson's reaction when he saw Damian was absolute joy.

Drake's was immediate suspicion.

Now it seems Father's reaction is to believe he's losing his mind.

Damian steps forward hesitantly, hoping to get through to him. This isn't anything like what he thought his reunion with his father would be like, but then again, it isn't exactly the worst case scenario. Not yet, anyways.

"Father…"

But Bruce shakes his head over and over again, clutching his hands to his hair like he's about to tear it out.

"Why am I seeing this?" he asks, more to himself than anything. "Why? God… Damian, son, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry I couldn't save you. I failed you, I know. I failed you as a father. I just… If I see you one more time, I may go insane."

Yep, he thinks he's hallucinating. Damian shakes his head, wondering how many times this has happened before. Judging from his reaction, this hasn't happened in a while, which freaks him out even more. But just the fact that it _happened _at all shocks Damian. He's beginning to realize that he completely underestimated how much his family missed him.

Grayson places a comforting hand on Bruce's shoulder, trying his best to calm the older man down.

"Bruce, you're _not _seeing things," he reassures him. "He's really there. That's really Damian. He's not a hallucination, he's not a clone. He's the real Damian. He's come home."

Father looks at him, seeming unwilling to believe his son has come back from the dead. He raises a shaky hand to Damian once more and mumbles out some words, like a child trying to explain something to an adult.

"But how…?" he stumbles.

"The body we buried was a clone," Grayson explains. "He faked his death so he could defeat the Heretic on his own without putting the rest of us in danger. And now he's back."

It seems to Damian that Father finally understands. He looks over to Damian again, his eyes widening. Damian swears he can even see some tears forming behind them. Slowly, he begins to walk towards his youngest son. There still seems to be some hesitance behind him movements, but he isn't backing away, so that's an improvement in Damian's mind.

Pretty soon, the two are face to face. Neither knows what to do next. They both lack proper social skills, Damian realizes. He always figured that he was pretty much screwed in the genetics area, being related to Bruce Wayne as well as Ra's al Ghul.

Damian eventually decides to get bold and make the first move. After all, Father is the one getting the shock of his life. It's only fair Damian make this easier for him.

"Hello, Father," he greets with his signature smirk on his face. But this one is much softer than the one he had perfected a year ago.

That's all he has to say. As soon as he finishes his words, Bruce wraps his arms around Damian's middle, murmuring his name as he gathers his son up in a tight hug. Damian's natural reaction is to wrap his arms around his father's neck in return. It reminds him of the night Father told him he was proud of him before the two shared their first hug. It feels the same way, too. He feels warm, safe, and secure in Father's embrace, like nothing can touch him now that this great man is holding him. An immense joy shoots through him and the euphoria. He has a bullet ready in case anyone finds this out, but he gets a giddy feeling anytime Father shows him any sort of affection.

Screw him underestimating how much everyone else missed _him. _He underestimated just how much _he _missed everyone else.

Damian buries his face in his father's neck as he feels him tighten his grip around his middle. It's like he never wants to let go. Damian knows he never wants to.

"Son…" Father murmurs weakly. "I missed you, so much. Don't ever do that to me again. I'd fall apart."

"Never," Damian agrees. And he means it. He never wants to leave home ever again.

He knows what he has to do now, but building up the courage to do it is harder than he thought. He's never been great at words, much less at expressing how he feels. His emotions always stayed locked inside him, bubbling up into rage more than anything else. Talking about them aren't his forte. But he promised himself he would do this. He wants to do this.

"Father?" he begins weakly. "I… I love you."

He feels his father tighten his grip even more and drop a small kiss in his hair, rubbing his back gently. Father has never been this gentle with him. But he's not complaining.

"I love you too," he replies, his voice choking with emotion. "I love you so much, son. I'm sorry I never said it to you before. I was stupid. I thought we'd have more time. More than we had. I promise you, I'll be the father you need this time around. Just don't leave me again. Never leave me again."

Damian curses himself when he feels a few tears leak out of his eyes. He's a Wayne, dammit! He doesn't cry over something like this! Hell, he doesn't cry over _anything_. No, he's not crying. He just… had something in his eye. Yeah, that's it. It was probably just dust or something.

"I promise, Father, I'm never leaving again," Damian swears. He feels Father's body beginning to shake, presumably from sobs. Damian's own resolve to stay strong breaks, and more tears begin to leak out of his eyes. He keeps his face firmly in his father's neck, concealing them.

"If this is a dream, please don't let me wake up," Father whispers.

Somewhere in the background, Damian can hear Grayson say faintly,

"It can't be a dream. I always wake up right before he walks through the door."

* * *

**A/N: There you have it! The most emotional reunion yet!**

**To everyone who I'm sure is going to harass me over them being OOC... Seriously. A father is learning his son - the second one he's lost - is actually alive will affect him greatly. And if you'll remember, Bruce kind of went bonkers after both Damian and Jason's deaths. So I imagine that a NICE reunion for a change would elicit some emotion from him, especially because he had a lot of regrets with Damian.**

**Also, to the reviewer who asked if Jason will be in here: YES! The next chapter will be concerning Jason and maybe Stephanie, Barbara, and others. Maybe. We'll see how it plays out. ;)**


	4. Barbara

**A/N: I decided to continue on with other assorted Bat-Family members because Damian touched a lot more lives (sometimes not in the most, *ahem*, conventional ways) than just the immediate fam. And thanks to suke-88 for reminding me to continue this chapter. Yep, I forgot. I forgot I was writing this. I can be that stupid!**

**Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

The rest of the evening passed much like it was going before Bruce came home; Damian explained how he managed to survive. Except this time around, he explained it to his father.

"So correct me if I'm wrong," Father began, his arm still wrapped tightly around Damian's shoulders. "Your mother _did _plan on killing you from the beginning?"

Damian nods to show him he's right on the mark.

"Just as you thought, the Heretic was meant to kill me. But I pulled out some moves from my repertoire that a clone trained solely by the League of Assassins could not know. Moves that _Batman _taught me."

He notices Father smiling sadly.

"He did manage to land a hit on me, but it was non-fatal. Mother ordered him to stop and offered me a deal; I could either come back to her, or she would allow the clone to kill me. I chose to come with her on one condition. I wanted one of my other clones, one of the ones used to harvest organs from in the case I was injured severely, to go in my place. I told her I didn't want you all interfering, but it was to make sure you didn't stupidly try to find me and end up dead yourselves. I knew you idiots would try something like that."

Grayson grins while Drake rolls his eyes. They all know that would have ended up happening. No way would they leave Damian alone if they knew he was alive. They would have gone to the ends of the earth to find him if they had to.

"I let her believe I was willing to trade my loyalty to my family in for my life. It was disgusting."

Father gives him a comforting squeeze. It's an odd gesture from Father. From Grayson, he's used to it, but hugs or any other forms of affection from Father were always scarce. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy this.

"It's okay," Father reassures him. "We know you were loyal to us. There's no need to explain."

Damian nods, but he still can't seem to believe that himself. Of course, he was never loyal to Mother and plotted to betray her the moment he agreed to her deal, but a part of him feels like that's the weaker man's way out. He should have just told her 'no' and dealt with the repercussions like a good soldier. But what did he do instead? He let his family go through hell all because he wanted to be the hero. And he couldn't feel any guiltier.

At least they won't have to worry about the Heretic coming for them anytime soon.

"What happened to that Heretic, anyways?" Drake asks. Damian stiffens and the question. He's still reeling from what happened.

"I'd rather not discuss it at the moment," he says through gritted teeth. Everyone senses his seriousness and decides to back off the subject. There's time for this later. Right now, they can just be happy that their son and brother is back home.

"We missed you," Father says suddenly. Damian is a bit taken aback by this. Who is this man and what has he done to Father? Sure, he always theorized that Father cared for him and was hard on him simply because he wanted better for him, but it was always an unexpressed love for both of them.

But it seem tragedy has made them realize what's important. They know now that there may not be time for either of them to show how much they really care for each other. Time came back and slapped them in the face the first time around.

This time, they're making it count.

"I missed you as well," Damian says sincerely, albeit stiffly. He still has yet to get used to this family dynamic.

A knock at the door gets Grayson to jump up and rush to go answer it before even Alfred can. Damian internally groans. Why is it that everyone feels the need to gather at the manor _today _of all days. Hell, even Grayson usually isn't here.

A loud voice exclaims, "Where is the little demon spawn?"

Damian tries his hardest to remember that voice, but two years away from home has done a number on him. It's foggy.

Grayson walks back into the room with a dopey smile on his face, and Damian knows who the person at the door even before they step in the room. There is only _one _person who can put such a stupid look on Grayson's face, and he knows who that person is.

Sure enough, Barbara Gordon struts into the room behind Grayson, looking just as strong-willed as she did when he last saw her. No one can tell that she was once wheel-chair bound. She seems so determined with a spring in her step. Barbara Gordon is really a force of nature.

"There he is!" she shrieks. Before Damian can make an attempt to stop it, he is wrapped up in Barbara's strong grip as she gives him a death-hug. He keeps his arms at his sides, less of a participant in the hug and more like someone who is allowing themselves to be hugged.

"You scared the shit outta us!" she declares. Damian grins just a bit.

"That was my goal, Gordon," he deadpans. Barbara lets him go and shakes her head.

"Two years didn't knock the smart ass out of you?" she asks in mock disappointment. Damian shakes his head back with a serious expression.

"I will never change, Gordon. I am merely pointing out the obvious. I guess to people like _you_, it could be interpreted as sarcasm."

Barbara nods to herself and smiles widely in amusement.

"No doubt about it," she declares. "This is definitely Damian."

Everyone laughs, knowing how true that it. Damian is quite the sarcastic smart ass. He tests everyone's patience, some more than others. But changing him isn't something any of them would wish. That would make him not Damian.

"Has anyone told Steph?" Barbara asks. They all look at each other, realizing another person they forgot to call to deliver the news.

Damian smirks. So, Fatgirl is still around? Interesting…

"What about Cass?" she asks again. They all shake their heads. Nope.

"Jason?"

Another group head-shake.

Barbara throws her hands up in defeat.

"We _have _to tell them all! You don't want them finding out from a second-hand source. That's the last thing we need."

Grayson immediately gets his phone out and begins to dial. Damian shakes his head to himself and imagines even more people filling up the manor. It'll be a nice change. The place could use some liveliness instead of the usual darkness. He never thought his reappearance would bring that on, but he's glad it did.

Okay, maybe he has changed. Just a little. Don't tell anyone.

* * *

**A/N: Who do you all want to see in the next chapter? Tell me which person you'd like to see! Of course, I'm thinking of Jason mostly, but Stephanie and Cassandra are interesting prospects. :)**


	5. Stephanie

**A/N: So, you can see by the chapter name who stars in this chapter. I've decided to be evil and make you all wait a little bit longer for Jason (who was the most popular choice), but as you'll see, he's coming soon, so hold off on throwing a chair at me. And please, enjoy!**

* * *

"When the hell will he finally get off his stubborn ass and come by?"

Grayson using such language in front of the entire family shocks Damian, but he can't bring himself to care. Grayson's frustration stems from the fact that he called Todd about 45 minutes ago, right after Gordon left, to tell him that Damian was back. He was groggy from just getting up – at 1 in the afternoon, mind you – and angrily asked Grayson what the hell this impromptu call was about. When he was told the reason for the wake-up call, there was a long silence from his end of the phone. Grayson waited for a response.

There was none.

Todd hung up.

Now 45 minutes later, he's nowhere to be found.

It's true that Damian was never close to Todd – though Grayson maintains that the two would be the best of friends if they weren't so stubborn – but from what he's been told so far, Todd vowed revenge on the works that brought about his adopted brother's death. Now, he doesn't want to see him? That's certainly strange.

"Language," Father reprimands Grayson, making a point to motion over to Damian with a nod of his head. Damian rolls his eyes. Really? He's used _much _worse language, often on members of his own family. But nonetheless, he says nothing in rebuttable.

"What?" Grayson argues back. "You bet I'm angry! Damian's been gone for two freaking years and Jason doesn't even feel like popping in for a quick 'oh, hey, glad to see you're not six feet under'? That bastard!"

Damian knows well that Grayson doesn't get this angry often. He's the jovial, light-hearted one of the bunch. Seeing him angry always feels so… wrong.

"Why _would_ he wish to see me?" Damian questions. All eyes in the room go to him. To be fair, they haven't let him out of their sight all day out of a deep-rooted, irrational fear that he could vanish again, but these gazes are more curious.

"What do you mean?" Father asks quietly. Damian shrugs in response.

"I don't see why Todd should feel any duty to visit me. Aren't I the 'demon spawn', as he so affectionately nicknamed me?"

Drake lowers his head slightly from the couch across from them.

"Actually, that was _me _who came up with that one," he admits shamefully. Damian grins. He supposes the nickname isn't all that bad, considering all the times he tried to kill Drake. And insulted him. And took over his position.

Yeah, he could probably be called a lot worse.

At least Drake doesn't call him by that monstrosity of a nickname, 'Lil D'.

"Of course Jason cares about you," Grayson reassures softly. Though Damian thought it to be nearly impossible, Grayson's voice has still never lost that paternal quality to it that he adopted after Bruce supposedly 'died'. Even when he was revealed to be alive and well, Grayson never quite lost that tone he used on Damian only.

"Oh, I'm sure," Damian retorts sarcastically. He doesn't expect Todd to show up, nor does he care.

At least, that's what he's telling himself.

"On the bright-side, I called Steph, and she should be showing up anytime now!" Drake adds cheerfully. Damian smirks. Of course, Drake always gets that dumb, giddy look on his face when he's talking about Stephanie Brown. Just like Grayson to Gordon, those two are drawn to each other for god knows what reason. As a twelve year old, Damian finds romance to be just plainly useless.

Grayson would always say to 'give it a few years'.

"I'm sure Damian is just _delighted_," Father says in a joking tone. Damian scowls and turns to look at him.

"I can speak for myself, Father, and I assure you, I am not delighted to be seeing Brown."

He can see Drake roll his eyes from his place across from him. Damian will claim up until his deathbed to dislike Brown, but everyone seems to think that there's a small part of him that has a child's crush on her. He thinks that's ridiculous, of course. Just because he likes to see what makes her tick doesn't mean he has a crush on her.

No, not at all.

"Be nice," Father reminds him. Damian crosses his arms over his chest.

"I'm always nice…" he grumbles. Grayson chuckles, while Drake snorts in laughter. Damian looks at them with a scowl. He was being serious!

The sound of the door flying open prompts Drake to rush over to greet his girlfriend, who he's positive is the one at the door. Damian finds himself suddenly feeling self-conscious. Has Brown already forgotten about him in his time away? They worked together on occasion, but that doesn't mean she would find him memorable.

He shakes these thoughts away. He's Damian Wayne, son of Batman, grandson of Ra's al Ghul. He's not someone a person can just forget.

The swish of blonde hair entering the room catches Damian's attention. Stephanie Brown stands before him, looking nearly exactly the same as she did two years ago. The same long blonde hair, the same confident posture, and the same bright, impish glow to her face that no one can seem to describe properly.

"Damian!" she shouts, not bothering to conceal her enthusiasm. She rushes forward and hugs him, picking him up off the ground like he's a feather, not a fast-growing twelve year old boy. For reasons unknown to even him, Damian loosens in her grip, not being as stiff as he meant to be. He just can't bring himself to lock up in Brown's hug.

"Oh my god, Damian, where have you _been_?" she asks, looking around the room at everyone, waiting for an explanation. Drake jumps to the rescue.

"It's a long story we don't need to get into right now," he says. There's a slight smile on his face as he watches Brown's sheer joy at discovering Damian to be living. The two had a slightly antagonistic, brother/sister rivalry going on, but the joy Stephanie took in teasing the younger boy was evident. In her own way, she cared for him.

And in her own way, she grieved when he left.

"Do you know how much grief you caused us?" she asks as she pulls him out at arm's length, sounding just a bit angry. That's the spit-fire he remembers.

"I have some idea, Brown," he replies. She shakes her head.

"You're just as inconsiderate as you were before!" she exclaims. "Only thinking of yourself, huh? Did you even consider how you'd affect us?"

"Of course I did," Damian snaps back. Even though his tone is defensive, and Brown seems pissed at this point, she pulls him back into a hug. Damian rolls his eyes, but allows her to collect him closer.

"You and I need to go find a moon-bounce later," she tells Damian seriously. He groans, but he'd be lying if he said there wasn't a secret part of him that would want that. He may have told her that he wasn't enjoying himself the last time the two of them found themselves on a moon-bounce, but he was lying.

"Not on your life, Brown," Damian retorts. Brown laughs and hugs him tighter, so tightly that he thinks he may stop breathing from the pressure on his ribs. But he pretends not to care.

And he pretends not to feel her tears fall into his hair, either.

* * *

**A/N: I think Damian has a crush on Stephanie and no one can tell me different. Try it. I dare you. It's my headcanon until the end. No, I don't ship them at all, I just find their banter adorable.**

**As you can see, I have a perfect set-up for Jason, so don't get your panties in a twist; he's coming soon!**

**As always, I'd love to hear what you thought of this chapter. Reviews make the world go 'round!**


	6. Jason

**A/N: So I'm done with school (*throws parade*) and that means more writing time!**

**Yes, people, this is the chapter you've been waiting for.**

**Drumroll, please...**

**...**

**JASON!**

**Yes, Jason. I made the PERFECT set up for him last chapter and I'm executing it in this one. Enjoy!**

* * *

In all the emotions of the day, no one seemed to notice the time of the clock ticking by quickly. By now, Stephanie had left, Tim had gone to bed (at the firm insistence of his family), and Alfred had gone to prepare Damian's room, as Bruce had insisted no one touch it after Damian's 'death'. Now someone needed to sleep in it, so preparations needed to be made.

The time is midnight, and the only three that remain are Damian, Bruce, and Dick. The three still sit on the couch as they watch the day begin to finally wind down in front of their eyes.

Damian's posture is relaxed and tired, his head leaning on Father's shoulder for support. His legs are sprawled out on the rest of the couch, resting on Grayson's legs. His eyelids are beginning to droop. He lets out a small yawn, subconsciously leaning in closer to his father like a cat rubbing its head against a person's legs. Grayson smiles next to him.

"It looks like the emotions of the day really took a toll on you, kiddo," he teases. Damian can hear the tiredness in his voice too. He can't say the same about Father, though. The man survives off of practically no sleep at all. 4 hours in a week is a miracle for him.

While Grayson may be right, the day isn't the only thing making Damian so extremely exhausted. He had a long, hard travel here, only allowing himself occasional sleep when he was in dire need of it. Now that he's home, he's let his guard down. He's finally crashed, and it feels so good to know he can allow himself to slumber peacefully around his family, having no fear of being killed in his sleep.

In other words, he can be a normal twelve year old boy.

Or at least as normal as the son of Batman can possibly be.

It's becoming harder and harder for Damian to keep his eyes open. His father's body provides a comfortable pillow to lay on, while Grayson's mere presence next to him soothes him. He's comforted into falling further under the spell of sleep, making everything seem further away in a haze of fogginess.

"I think he fell asleep on my shoulder," he vaguely hears Father tell Grayson. The rumbling of his father's deep, powerful voice calms him. It always has. Father can make anyone feel safe.

"Should we take him up to his room?" Grayson responds.

Damian feels himself being scooped up in Father's great arms. Father stands up with him as if he weighs less than a feather. To the Batman, he's sure that's what he compares to.

"I'll take him to bed," Father offers. Damian can distantly feel the vibrations from Father's chest as he says this, and the smile obvious in his voice. He adjusts himself like a cat in Father's arms, too tired to make any big movements or to jump out of his arms and walk upstairs himself. Besides, being carried upstairs by Father won't be _that _bad…

He can allow himself to be a child just this once.

He feels each step his father carries him up and each hallway he goes down. Damian knows where his room is, despite the fact that it's been two years since he's set foot in this giant house. His room was his safe haven. He was always a bit of a loner.

Father gently sets him down on his small, single bed. The mattress feels exactly the same as it did the last time he spent a night here. Stiff, but comfortable. When Father pulls the covers up over his chest, he can faintly smell the laundry detergent and fabric softener emanating from the linens that tickle his nose. His sleep-drunk mind faintly registers the fact that this must mean Alfred has continued to strip and wash the bed even after his death.

It's as if he was never gone.

Father's cool lips touch down on his forehead, giving him a quick kiss. Affection has never been something Father is big on, but Damian's not complaining. He's used to it from Grayson.

"Goodnight, son," Father whispers to him quietly. One lingering pat of his hair and he feels his father's presence leave the room. That's when he finally lets himself wind down, and sleep quickly claims him.

* * *

"Hey, kid!"

Damian shifts in his sleep, bothered by some sort of disturbance.

"Kiiiiiddddd!"

He wrinkles his nose curiously, a noise piercing through the veil between his dream world and the real world.

"Yo, Wayne, wake your ass up!"

Damian's eyes snap open, and immediately he jumps from his bed, reaching in the back pocket of his pants to grab a knife he still has with him. Seriously? On the first night back? Oh well, he's been fighting non-stop for two years. He didn't expect it to magically end when he came home. But if someone thinks they can take Damian away from his family when he's barely had a chance to see them again, the bastard has another thing coming.

"Hey, kid, calm down, it's just me!"

That voice sounds familiar. Damian blinks, trying to get a clearer picture of the figure in front of him. Well, as best he can in the dark…

About 6' even, dark hair, what seems to be a leather jacket, dark jeans, a form-fitting gray shirt underneath…

Damian puts the blade back in his back pocket and rolls his eyes.

Jason Todd has finally arrived.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Damian demands to know. Todd laughs and plops himself down on Damian's bed as if he is an invited guest.

"You should _really _lock that window," Todd reprimands. "You never know what freaks might break in."

Damian can't believe it. He must be losing his touch if someone like Todd can break through his window at night.

"Dammit, Todd, you couldn't use the front door like a normal, civilized human being?" Damian hisses. Todd just rolls his eyes.

"You make it sound like I'm actually _welcomed _here," he deadpans. Damian shakes his head at Todd's ignorance. He completely underestimates how much everyone still cares about him. Well, at least Bruce and Dick. He's not sure Drake has anything but resentment towards him.

Then again, that's what he thought of his own relationship with Drake before today.

"Of course you are," Damian snaps. "You're the wayward son they just won't give up on, lord knows why."

Todd says nothing in rebuttal, his expression softening just a bit. It's as if he doesn't already know how they care for him. But, before Damian can say any more on the subject, Todd changes it.

"So, I heard you came back to life; did the Pit do a number on ya?" he asks, infusing his own morbid humor into the question.

Damian shakes his head. He's never been in the Lazarus Pit. He doesn't know what exactly it does to a person. Sure, he's seen it used before, but he'll never know what it does to your mind. Todd, however, _has _been in the Lazarus Pit. He's seen the effects firsthand, felt them course through his veins. Damian briefly wonders how Todd couldn't already tell he hadn't been dipped in the Pit. He expected some sort of sixth sense from him.

"I wasn't put in the Lazarus Pit," Damian explains. Todd nods knowingly. That catches Damian's attention. Maybe he was right about the sixth sense…

"I thought so," he admits. "So, care to tell me how you came back to life?"

Damian is hesitant to tell Todd, who was faced both death and reincarnation from the Pit, that he was never dead in the first place. For not the first time that night, he feels selfish. Todd had no choice when it came to leaving Bruce. The Joker forced his hand. Damian _had _a choice. And he hurt a lot of people in the process.

"I… I staged my death, Todd. I was never actually dead."

Damian watches the grin slowly fade from Todd's face. An expression of pure rage replaces it. Damian's not sure he's ever seen Todd this way, and he's angry nearly all the time. But this anger… it's personal.

"You _what_?" he growls. Damian opens his mouth to reiterate, but Todd puts his hand up to silence him.

"I _know _what you said, don't say it again!" he nearly shouts.

Damian backs up. Who knew Todd could get this passionate?

"How could you _do _that to your family? Huh, kid? Did you think of how they'd take it? You know how torn up your old man was when _I _died? And I'm not even his real kid. Hell, I'm not his favorite by a long shot._ You're _the biological one _and _the youngest. You wanna know what he did after I died? He starting breaking bad on all the criminals in Gotham! Petty thieves, bank robbers, muggers, you name it. Didn't matter what they did as long as they were there as something to take it out on. Old man nearly broke his moral code too. Of course, I would have enjoyed that, but this isn't about me. He lost his freaking mind out of guilt. And you think he didn't do _exactly the same_ when he thought you were the one who died?"

Damian lowers his head slightly in shame. He never even considered that fact. Did Father blame himself? Did he let the guilt drive him? Did he come close to killing out of the sheer anger he felt over his son's supposed death? He'll have to ask him in the morning.

But he knows Todd is wrong about one thing. Father loves them all equally – something Damian would never admit in front of Drake – and cares about Todd just as much as he cares about the rest of them.

"Todd, I…" Damian begins, unsure of how to proceed.

How does one give a proper apology? Especially if that person is Damian Wayne?

"I am… _sorry_."

The way he spits the word out almost makes it sound insincere, but not quite. Todd can tell that he means it.

"Just never pull a stunt like that again, okay?" he warns. "It was stupid and selfish and if you do it again, I'll make _sure _you're actually dead this time."

Damian nods in response. He never plans on doing anything similar to that ever again. Being away from home so long was hell. Of course he'd never do it again.

Todd hesitantly walks forward and places his hand on Damian's shoulder. It's an awkward acknowledgement touch. He's trying so hard to make an effort, and Damian appreciates it.

"I'm, uh… I'm glad you're okay, kid."

Damian smirks and shakes his head. Only Todd could make a 'welcome home' sound so unwelcoming. But he's trying… In his own special way, that is.

"Thank you, Todd," Damian responds. "It's good to be home."

A silence passes over the two of them, Todd's hand still on firmly on Damian's shoulder. Neither makes a move. It's as if the universe is preventing them from disrupting this rare and delicate moment between the two most aggressive ones in the family. They're actually being _civil _for once.

After a few more seconds of silence, Todd smirks.

"Are we having a moment?" he asks jokingly. Damian gives him a glare, shooting daggers into his eyes.

"Tell anyone of this and I will slice your throat in your sleep using your precious Red Hood mask as a blade," Damian threatens. Todd laughs deeply and loudly, taking his hand off Damian's shoulder and patting him on the back.

"But you didn't deny it, kid!"

* * *

**A/N: Awwww, Jason and his little brother! *heart melts***

**In case you're still a little confused, Jason hung up on Dick in the last chapter because he was suspicious and wanted to see Damian for himself (hence the reason he snuck in at night).**

**I'd love to hear what you think and who you'd like to see next!**


End file.
